Marcus Camby says he will play in Trail Blazers' game against Spurs

Bruce Ely/The OregonianMarcus Camby will be back in the Blazers' lineup when they play the Spurs on Friday.

TUALATIN -- Center Marcus Camby, who sat out the Trail Blazers' last game with a sprained ankle, said Thursday he will play in Friday's game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Camby missed Tuesday's 111-76 home win over Washington, one of the league's worst teams. But the Blazers (41-30), who sit in sixth place in the Western Conference, have six consecutive games against playoff contenders, starting with the Spurs at the Rose Garden on Friday.

"San Antonio tomorrow, it's a big game," Camby said after practice Thursday. "We play this team twice in a matter of days. The next week, the stretch of games we have is important, so it’s important for all of us to be out there on the court."

Asked if there are any conditions related to his ankle that will affect if he plays, Camby said simply, "I'll be out there."

Camby injured his right ankle late in the Blazers' 84-80 loss to the Lakers
on Sunday in Los Angeles. Lakers guard Kobe Bryant's foot and Camby's
leg were entangled after Bryant made a layup with 4:19 left in the
fourth quarter, and Camby's ankle appeared to buckle.

X-rays taken Monday showed no structural damage, and Camby sat out Tuesday's game. The Blazers took Wednesday off.

Camby had surgery in January to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee and missed 17 games. In 12 games since returning from the surgery on Feb. 27, Camby is
averaging 2.6 points and 8.3 rebounds and shooting 27.1 percent from the
field. In the last four games he appeared in, Camby has come off the bench as
coach Nate McMillan has opted to go with a smaller starting lineup, with
LaMarcus Aldridge at center and Gerald Wallace at power forward.

The Blazers will play a short-handed Spurs team that will be without All-Star forward Tim Duncan, who suffered a severe ankle sprain in a game against Golden State on Monday. With Duncan out, the Spurs lost at Denver 115-112 Wednedsay.

"I think they play a little more uptempo basketball" without Duncan, Camby said.

The Blazers have split their games with the Spurs this season, losing 95-78 in San Antonio on Dec. 12, and winning 99-86 on Feb. 1 at the Rose Garden behind 40 points and 11 rebounds from Aldridge.

With Duncan out, the Blazers figure to feature a heavy does of Aldridge again.

"We know we’re going to have to play good basketball to win this game," McMillan said. "Taking care of the ball is going to be very important, and playing inside-out."